The present invention relates to teaching methods and associated apparatus and, more particularly, to methods, apparatus and systems for teaching the concept of elapsed time.
The concept of elapsed time, that is, the number of hours and minutes between two times of day, is often difficult to teach to children. This concept may be especially difficult when a child uses an analog clock. In order to teach this concept, teachers often employ teaching aids in the form of teaching clocks. Such teaching clocks have the hour hand, minute hand and face with numbered hours of a conventional analog clock, but not the clockwork mechanism to move the hands. Typically, a teacher positions the hands of such a teaching clock at a first selected time of day, which is noted by students. The teacher then positions the hands of the teaching clock at a second selected time of day and the students are asked to determine the time interval between the first and second times.
An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,205. While that teaching clock has interconnected minute and hour hands that are positionable, as well as a corresponding digital display of the same time of day indicated by the hands, it lacks a mechanism for displaying the time interval between two selected times of day. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus, method and system for teaching students the concept of elapsed time and a method for determining the time that has elapsed between two times of day. There is also a need for an apparatus, method and system for teaching students how to calculate ending time—the time of day after a given elapsed time from a given starting time, and beginning time—the time of day from which a given elapsed time results in a given ending time.